The Best Hunter

From initial resistance to eventual acceptance, Long Yejue had mastered the process flawlessly.

When it came to his prey, he had a unique ability to make them willingly fall into his grasp, one step at a time.

After the intense kiss, both were left breathless. Tang Mianmian, feeling things she shouldn't be feeling, turned bright red. Covering her flaming cheeks, she muttered a soft "Good night" and froze, not daring to move.

Long Yejue, afraid of scaring her, suppressed his desires and loosened his embrace slightly, giving her room to breathe. It wasn't long before her gentle, even breathing indicated she'd fallen asleep.

Only then did his tightly wound body relax.

Resting his chin on her shoulder, he inhaled the sweet scent unique to her, a sensation both intoxicating and torturous.

Softly, he murmured near her ear, his deep voice tinged with helplessness, "Little lamb, I can't wait any longer. What should I do?"

She was too sweet—his self-control, once his pride, was utterly powerless against her.

Looking at her sleeping form, Long Yejue couldn't resist planting a few "strawberries" on her skin, his mark of possession.

Only when he deemed it enough did he get up and head to the bathroom.

They say cold showers help men cool down, especially impulsive ones.

In the crisp early autumn air, the icy water was indeed brutal.

Sneezing as he dried himself off with a towel, Long Yejue vowed silently: When the time comes, I'll make up for all this suffering in double.

Morning Mischief

Knowing they were at the Long family estate, Tang Mianmian didn't dare laze around in bed.

By 6:30 a.m., she was up, washed, and dressed in casual home clothes. The man, however, was still fast asleep.

At 6:50 a.m., she decided to wake him.

"Time to get up; we're having breakfast at Huayuan," she said softly, lightly patting his handsome face.

How could someone's face be this good-looking?

Just as she was marveling at his beauty, Long Yejue suddenly opened his eyes. The unfathomable depth of his gaze immediately pulled her in, leaving her frozen in place.

Before she could react, he pulled her into another kiss.

Tang Mianmian squeezed her eyes shut, too stunned to resist, and let him have his way.

It wasn't until both their breaths turned ragged and the situation felt dangerously out of control that he finally released her.

With a smirk, he whispered, "Good morning, wife. Next time you wake me up, feel free to use a kiss."

She was utterly dumbfounded, her mind still reeling from the unexpected kiss.

Meanwhile, the man chuckled deeply and headed into the bathroom, leaving her to clutch her burning cheeks in frustration.

How does he keep catching me off guard? she thought, fuming inwardly.

But he was the perfect predator, a master at breaking down defenses and claiming his prey. Her being captivated by him was, in some ways, inevitable.

A Family Breakfast

Because of that kiss, the two were once again fashionably late.

When they finally arrived at the dining room in Huayuan, the family was already seated, their expressions mixed with impatience and disapproval.

Tang Mianmian offered an apologetic smile as she took her seat.

Zhu Wenyi's voice was cold as she reprimanded, "In the Long family, rules are important. Just because you don't understand them doesn't mean you can keep breaking them. Jue, you've always been disciplined. I hope this doesn't happen again."

Tang Mianmian, feeling mortified, hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, Auntie. It's my fault."

Long Zhenfei coughed lightly, cutting through the tension.

Long Yejue leaned close to whisper in her ear, "Still calling her Auntie?"

Blushing furiously, Tang Mianmian lowered her head and softly corrected herself. "Mom."

Bound by the old master's presence, Zhu Wenyi didn't dare object openly. But her icy demeanor made it clear she hadn't fully accepted this new title. "Let's eat. Everyone's tired of waiting," she said curtly.

Relieved that Zhu Wenyi hadn't outright rejected her, Tang Mianmian smiled and began eating.

To her, this was already a small victory. Just as Long Yejue had said—once Grandpa accepted her, the rest of the family would follow, however reluctantly.

Long Zhenfei, sipping his tea and reading the newspaper, watched the scene unfold with satisfaction.

But sitting across from Tang Mianmian, Long Ruoshui was less pleased. Taking a few bites, she suddenly stood up and announced, "Grandpa, Mom, Dad, enjoy your meal. I'm not hungry. I'm going back to bed."

Long Zhenfei didn't even glance at her.

Feeling slighted, Long Ruoshui pouted and gave him a pitiful look, but it had no effect.

Zhu Wenyi, however, asked with concern, "Why aren't you hungry? Don't start following those ridiculous dieting trends. You're fine just the way you are."

Finally receiving some attention, Long Ruoshui pouted. "I used to love our family breakfasts, but now I can't stand them anymore."

Zhu Wenyi's eyes flickered with coldness, but she said nothing more, aware of her daughter's implied grievance.

Meanwhile, Long Yejue calmly placed a peeled egg into Tang Mianmian's bowl and remarked in a leisurely tone, "You dislike so many things. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow you'll decide you don't like the sun anymore and demand Grandpa take it down for you."

The teasing remark drew laughter from everyone at the table.

Long Zhenfei chuckled and added, "I wouldn't be surprised if she started disliking the moon too!"

"Brother! Grandpa!" Long Ruoshui, thoroughly embarrassed by their jests, stomped her feet and stormed off.

A Family Confrontation

As Long Ruoshui stormed toward the doorway, she accidentally bumped into someone entering.

Her fiery temper flared instantly. Assuming it was a careless servant, she snapped angrily, "Can't you watch where you're going? You almost knocked me over!"

"Oh, Water-sis, still as hot-tempered as ever? Be careful, or you'll scare off all your suitors," a cool, melodious voice teased.

"Second Brother?" Long Ruoshui's anger vanished in an instant, replaced by surprise and delight. "When did you get back? Why didn't I know?"

Hearing it was Long Yecheng, the second son of the Long family, everyone turned to look.

Wang Xiuying, his mother, was especially thrilled. "Yecheng, you're back?"

Long Yecheng glanced at her, smiling warmly.

She rushed over, her face a mixture of joy and reproach. "You rascal! You didn't tell me you were coming. Do you know how much I worried about you?"

"Mom, it's been years. Are you still so naggy?" Long Yecheng chuckled, his tone teasing.

Although she felt helpless against her son's sharp tongue, Wang Xiuying couldn't hide her affection. "Enough joking. Go greet your grandfather."

Long Yecheng nodded, patted her shoulder, and walked toward Long Zhenfei. With a respectful bow, he said, "Grandfather."

The old man's expression remained stern as he replied with a faint grunt.

Long Yecheng, accustomed to his grandfather's icy demeanor, wasn't fazed. He turned and noticed his elder brother, Long Yejue, sitting at the table. "Big Brother, you're here too?"

Long Yejue responded with a simple nod, his tone as indifferent as though greeting a stranger. "When did you get back?"

"Last week. I stopped by S City before returning." Though Long Yecheng answered his brother, his eyes lingered on the woman beside him.

Wasn't she the woman he'd encountered in that peculiar situation the other night?

Why was she sitting at the Long family table? And why was his elder brother serving her food so attentively?

Tang Mianmian's small bowl was quickly piling up with food. Embarrassed, she whispered, "That's enough. I'm already full."

"Eat more," Long Yejue insisted, continuing to add her favorite dishes to the bowl.

Tang Mianmian's cheeks flushed as she glanced around awkwardly. Her gaze briefly landed on the newly arrived Long Yecheng, whom she acknowledged with a polite nod before focusing on her mountainous bowl.

Long Yecheng raised an eyebrow. She doesn't recognize me?

Tang Mianmian didn't recall much about that evening. Moreover, she rarely committed strangers' faces to memory. To her, Long Yecheng was just another unfamiliar face.

As he returned to sit beside Wang Xiuying, Long Ruoshui tugged at his arm. "Second Brother, why don't you sit here? It's been so long since we've had breakfast together."

After a brief hesitation, Long Yecheng obliged, taking the seat next to her. Despite himself, his gaze wandered back to the woman eating across the table.

"Who's this?" he asked curiously.

Long Ruoshui pursed her lips, clearly unwilling to answer.

Long Yejue, however, spoke calmly. "This is my wife—your sister-in-law."

Sister-in-law?

Though he'd already suspected as much, hearing it confirmed still surprised Long Yecheng.

So his elder brother had gotten married. He really had been away too long.

The shock passed quickly, and Long Yecheng reverted to his usual carefree demeanor, chatting and joking with Long Ruoshui.

A Controversial Announcement

As the conversation dwindled, Long Zhenfei set down his newspaper and addressed the group. "Tomorrow, the family will host a banquet. Invite our relatives and close friends. Each branch should make preparations."

Zhu Wenyi's expression darkened. "Father, why are we hosting a banquet?"

"To formally announce Mianmian's identity," the old man stated firmly.

"Father, isn't this too rushed?" Zhu Wenyi protested, clearly attempting to delay the event.

Having yet to accept Tang Mianmian, she was naturally opposed to publicly acknowledging her as a member of the Long family.

Tang Mianmian glanced at Zhu Wenyi cautiously before addressing Long Zhenfei softly. "Grandfather, there's no need for a banquet."

She had no desire to let the world know she was the Long family's eldest daughter-in-law.

Long Zhenfei's face hardened. "Since when do I need anyone's permission to host a banquet?"

Faced with the old man's stern demeanor, Zhu Wenyi fell silent, though her eyes pleaded with Long Yejue. "Jue, do you feel the same?"

Long Yejue hesitated briefly before saying, "Grandfather, could we delay the announcement?"

"Why?" Long Zhenfei's sharp eyes bore into him, seeking an explanation.

"Once her identity as the Long family's eldest daughter-in-law is revealed, the media will swarm. I don't want Mianmian to be overwhelmed. She isn't part of this world and doesn't understand how vicious public scrutiny can be."

His words made Tang Mianmian's heart swell with warmth.

Under the table, their hands clasped tightly.

Long Zhenfei, understanding his grandson's reasoning, nodded. "I overlooked that. Let's hold off on the announcement for now."

"Thank you, Grandfather," Tang Mianmian said with a grateful smile.

The old man sighed, a trace of indulgence in his expression. "Most women who marry into this family can't wait for the world to know. But you, you're the complete opposite."

Long Ruoshui, unable to stand the sight of her grandfather doting on Tang Mianmian, muttered bitterly, "Maybe she's scheming something even bigger!"